REEVES GENEALOGY

                      
                                               MILITARY SERVICE:
Brinkley Bishop served with the CSA during the civil war as a nurse. According to the author of the book "Our Friend the Enemy," Brinkley served during the Battle of Atlanta. No record of his service has been found, but there is reference to it in an article in the Atlanta Constitution, which interviewed his wife Eady Bishop as she approached her 100th birthday. Eady says Brinkley began service as a Confederate nurse shortly after the war began, and at the end of the war moved to South Georgia.

CONVICTION FOR MURDER:

Brinkley Bishop killed a man named Turner Smith at Rutlands Courthouse grounds in Bibb County on December 8, 1849, was tried and was sentenced to hang on Feb 2, 1850. He was granted a new trial by the Georgia Supreme Court due to jury irregularities. This trial  was concluded January 29, 1851, and he was again sentenced to hang on Jan 31. 1851, sentence to be carried out by March 28th, 1852. He was pardoned by an act of the Georgia Legislature after his wife reportedly presented a petition for clemency at Milledgevillr to Governor Towns.The transcripts of these trials are on file in the Georgia Archives, and  can be found online as well. The first trial transcript may be viewed at: BRINKLEY BISHOP TRIAL #1. The second trial may be viewed at BRINKLEY BISHOP TRIAL #2.


The Macon Messenger reported on Feb 5, 1851 as follows: "BRINKLEY BISHOP, who was convicted during the recent session of Bibb Superior Court, of the murder of TURNER SMITH, was on Friday last brought before Judge Stark and sentenced to be hung on the 28th day of March."

The following item appears in "The Georgia Citizen" newspaper, published in Macon, Ga., dated Feb 1, 1851. This record was found in the Georgia Newspaper Project archives, U. of GA, Athens, GA:

"Case of Bishop - The trial of Brinkley Bishop, for killing Turner Smith, a year ago last December, has engaged the attention of the Superior Court of Bibb County, for several days past, and was brought to a close yesterday. Verdict, guilty of Murder. This is the second trial of the same individual for the same offense, his case having been taken up by the supreme court by bill of exception, and a motion for a new trial being granted by that tribunal. Sentenced to be hung by the the 28th day of March next."

The Macon Messenger later reported that an act of the Georgia Legislature, session of 1851-1852, passed an act "To pardon Brinkley Bishop, of the County of Bibb, now under sentence of death for the crime of murder." This act was approved on Nov 28, 1851.

The Georgia "Senate Journal 1851-1852" contains a reference to the vote that was taken in the senate on the bill to pardon Brinkley Bishop. The vote was 22 yeas, 15 nays, so the bill passed. The names of those voting were also recorded. The "Senate Journal" can be found in the Georgia Archives.

OTHER LEGAL PROBLEMS:

Sometime after 1877 the Grand Jury of Irwin County indicted Brinkley for beating his wife, and he spent several months in jail in Irwinville, Georgia for said offense.

PROBLEMS IN CHURCH:

In "The History of Irwin County,"  pg 460 says that Brinkley joined the church.  He was heretofore a member of Brushy Creek Church, which was cut off from the association on account of their not being in sound faith. Brother Bishop, not being satisfied, would not attend their church and was excommunicated from their body.

Page 476 of "The History of Irwin County" says that Brinkley Bishop was excommunicated on November 27, 1876.

On March 31, 1877, Brinkley had a disturbance with his wife and a committee was formed to confer with both parties. This body reported that they found nothing unchristian-like in Eady Bishop. charges were preferred against Brinkley for falsehood and having disrespectful chat about his wife and he was excommunicated. Later on he was indicted by the Grand Jury of Irwin County for beating his Wife and he spent several months in jail in Irwinville, Ga. for said offense.

Pg 458 of the "History of Irwin County" says that Brinkley Bishop was restored to church membership on September 1, 1894. If this is correct, Brinkley lived much longer than anyone has imagined. Since no 1890 census records are in existence, this date cannot be confirmed, but it appears likely that Brinkley died sometime between 1894 and 1900, as he does not appear in the 1900 census.


Per Eva Bishop, 2/22/03:
     -Dolly Dial (dec) said that Brinkley came from Bishop, SC or Bishopville, SC, but not sure. Others say he and his wife Eady Hardy came from and were married in Tarboro, NC.

    - Brinkley owned land in Irwin County

   -  Eady Hardy was interviewed at age 98 and an article printed in the Atlanta Constitution newspaper. Article is dated October 1, 1911, and can be seen at Ancestry.com.

   - Eady lived with William Henry Bishop after Brinkley's death, and then with James Bishop.

Brinkley's exact date of death is not known, and is not recorded on his tombstone, but he died sometime in 1898 or 1899, per the 1911 article in the Atlanta Constitution.

DEEDS:

Brinkley Bishop bought 490 acres more or less in Berrien county on 12/3/1874 from John Saffeld, for the sum of $50. Property identified as in Berrien County, ninth district, lot no. 137. Deed recorded 3/5/1879.

Brinkley Bishop sold on 4/10/1875 to Jacob Matthews for $100 the 490 acres in Berrien County that he  bought 5 months earlier - Berrien County, ninth district, lot no. 137. The deed notes that this property was formerly in Irwin County. The deed was recorded 3/6/1879.

Brinkley Bishop once owned a 490 acre tract in Land Lot 242, District Seven, Irwin County, GA, said to have been bought from James and John T. Hoover. The Hoover's bought the land from Jesse Peacock of Wilkinson County, GA. This info obtained from pierceqfpl@ewwpi.com on 7/9/2001.

A deed dated January 7, 1876 is recorded in the Ben Hill County, Ga. courthouse, as follows (Book 23, Pg. 457):
Georgia Wilcox County
This indenture made the 7th January 1876 between Brinkley Bishop of Irwin Co. Georgia & John Calhoun of Berrin County Georgia Witnesseth that for and in consideration of the sum of One Hundred Dollars cash in hand paid the receipt is hereby acknowledged Brinkley Bishop has granted sold and conveyed unto John Calhoun one hundred acres of land in the south west corner of Lot Land Number (187) Ond Hundred Eighty Seven situated lying and being in the 3rd dist. originally Irwin now Wilcox said Lot Number (187) contains (490) acres more or less according to original survey, and the said Bishop for himself heirs and assigns administrators executors do warrant and defend said land unto said John Calhoun his heirs and assigns forever in fee simple whereunto i have this day set my hand and affixed my seal Jany. 7th, 1876.
Signed sealed and delivered in presence of William Taylor & D Johnson J.P.
Signed by Brinkley Bishop (His X  Mark)
Recorded November 27, 1922


BURIAL:

Brinkley is buried in Oldfield Cemetery in Ben Hill County. Go 2-3 miles east of downtown square via a divided street  which turns into US 319, to Camp Brooklyn Rd. Turn left and go 3-4 miles. Cemetery is on right. Brinkley's grave was originally in the center of 4 cedar trees, but these were broken up by a storm and removed (per Howard Bishop), and only the stumps are left. T.N. Bishop (great grandson) and Mabel Bishop (granddaughter), had a marker made, and T.N. Bishop and Howard Bishop (great grandson) placed the marker on his grave. Brinkley’s name is on the marker, but there are no dates on it. It has an angel figurine as part of the marker. According to Mabel Bishop, there were few cemeteries when Brinkley died, and most likely his son James Bishop conducted the funeral services.  Howard Bishop lives near the cemetery and helps care for it.

CENSUS:

1840 U.S. Census from Ancestry Plus:
Note: Names other than head of household weere not given in this census, only a count by sex and age bracket.
State: Georgia   County: Houston      Census Roll: M704_43   Page: 388
Males:     1-20 to 30           This is Brinkley, who was born in 1811
Females: 1 - under 5          This could be Mary, born in 1839
               1 - 5 to 10            No record of a child in this age group - perhaps a child who later died?
               1 - 20 to 30          This is Edy, Brinkley's wife, born in 1813

1850 U.S. Census from Ancestry Plus:
State: Georgia     County: Bibb          Census Roll: M432_61     Page 171
Brinkley Bishop - Age 40 - Farmer - In jail charged with murder
Note: This record is an enumeration of prisoners in the Bibb County Jail.
Also incarcerated with Brinkley were:
John Fox. carpenter, is in jail for larceny.
Thomas Smith - Abetting murder - Thomas was brother of man Brinkley killed. Thomas furnished the pistol which was used to kill his brother Turner Smith.
Four other prisoners are listed, in jail for murder, larceny and bigamy.


1860 U.S. Census from Ancestry Plus:
State: Georgia    County: Wilcox    Census Roll: ?           Page: 739
Brinkley Bishop - age 49-Farmer
Edy Bishop  -  age 46
Margaret Bishop - age 16
William H. Bishop - age 11
Robert J. Bishop - age 7

1870 Census - Irwin County, Ga.:
Brintley Bishop - age 61 - Head of Household - Farmer - Owned real estate valued at $450. (name mispelled by censustaker)
Eady Bishop - age 55 - keeping house
Margaret - age 28 - at home
Robert - age 15 - at home
James - age 9
William Bishop - age 21 - farm laborer - Married and living in Brinkley's household.
Elizabeth - age 21 - housekeeper - Note: This is William's wife.
Mary J. - age 1 - Note: This is William's first child by Elizabeth.


1880 U. S. Census from Ancestry Plus:
State: Georgia       County: Irwin        Census Roll: T9_153
Brinkley is listed as age 65, living in the household of James A. Henderson, working as a servant/laborer. He is shown as a widower, white male, born in NC, birthplace of father and mother also NC. This is a curious record, as his wife Edy did not die until 1913, and at this point he is living separate from her.

1890 Census - Not available

1898-1899 - Year of death